It was Balanchine whose work bridged classical and modern ballet; Balanchine who founded the New York City Ballet; and Balanchine who in 1954 turned the idea of "Nutcracker" into the biggest moneymaker the ballet world has today.

B as possible and how his work affected choreographers and the dance world as we know it,'' says Sean Lavery, assistant to the ballet master, which is the term Balanchine used instead of ``artistic director.

So what makes this dance meaningful to so many, especially since Balanchine is famously remembered as insisting that Serenade is a story-less ballet--nothing more than a simple dance for women on a moonlit night?

After our common pro forma genuflection before Balanchine (which being pro forma makes it no less sincere), it seems self-evident that a like-minded group of former dancers, administrators, foundation executives, and critics has stifled alternatives to Balanchine in the name of a sometimes pedantic, even hysterical fidelity to their own youthful memories.

The 58-year-old Farrell says that Balanchine revised ``Variations'' in 1982 for her because he couldn't remember much of his original choreography, which was done in the mid-1960s before the use of video was commonplace.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.